Naw, I don't play golf. The balls are too small. I like games with bigger balls. Like bowling. Anyway, I purchased the following Vespasian even though in has a hole. The hole does not interfere with any of the devices on the coin, and it most certainly is an upgrade from my previous AE version of this coin. First my old version: And, now my newest version with the hole: VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate bust of Vespasian right REVERSE: CAESAR AVG F COS CAESAR AVG F PR, heads of Titus & Domitian facing each other Struck at Rome, 70 AD 2.69g, 19mm RIC 16; RSC 5 Post your Vespasian coins or your coins with holes
I like the whole coin, er, I mean the hole coin,...ah, whatever...I like them both! ....2 honest, hard working specimens!
Here is my Vespasian, one of a few denarii I own: Vespasian AR Denarius, 73 AD, RIC 546- Obv: IMP CAES VESP AVG CENS, laureate head right. Rev: PONTIF MAXIM, Vespasian seated right, holding scepter and laureate branch.
I like the hole in yours. Maybe it was used to string a thread for jewelry, or to keep track of change! In any case, it's a definite step-up from the previous example.
I really like your new denarius, the hole notwithstanding. I have no ancient coins with holes myself (not counting Roman Provincial coins from Thrace with "lathe dimples"), and have only one Vespasian (for now): Vespasian AR Denarius 74 AD; Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG / Rev. Vespasian seated right in curule chair, PON MAX TR P COS V. RIC II-1 702 (2007 ed.), old RIC II 177 (1926 ed.), RSC II 364, BMCRE 136. 19.1 mm., 3.432 g. (Purchased from Forum Ancient Coins, Dec. 2017. Ex. Gitbud & Naumann Auction 36 [4 Oct 2015], Lot 616). Edited to add: see the much higher-resolution photo I posted later in this thread.
A nice upgrade, JW. Coins with holes were always the #1 nono when I was collecting coins as a kid, but ever since I got into ancients, I can tolerate them so long as they are not too obscuring to the portrait or something else I bought the coin for. I have more holed world coins then Ancients. These are just a few. Edward VI (1547 - 1553 A.D.) AR Shilling O: (tun) ЄDWΛRD’· VI : D’· S’ ΛGl’: FRΛ’· Z : hIB’· RЄX :, crowned and mantled bust facing slightly left; rose to left, XII to right. R: (tun) POSVI DЄVM ·’ : ΛDIVTOR Є’· MEV·’·, coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée. 5.7g 32mm North 1937; SCBC 2482
That's a beauty Bing! I really enjoy the character that holes give coins. Sacrilege, I know. Speaking of, I recently purchased this holy coin for my father in law. He's a holy fella. So, I figured what's more holy than this! Medieval Italy, Venice. Antonio Veniero. 1382-1400. AR grosso (21.4 mm, 1.75 g, 4 h). ANTO' • VENERIO • • S • M • VENETI, DVX, doge standing left and St. Mark, nimbate, standing facing, both holding pendant between them; stars flanking / • + • TIBI • LAVS • • 3 • GLORIA •, Christ, nimbate, seated facing on high-backed throne. CNI 40; Biaggi 2855; Papadopoli 3. VF. Rare. Ex: Ares Let me tell you, it's even holier in hand
Holey-COW, @Bing ! Great coin. Not an upgrade in my book... I would keep them BOTH! Always liked Vespasian. Here is another of those Roman Provincials, but NOT from the Greek area, and NOT from the Empire period. Rather, it is from the Roman Republic. RImp Spain Lepida-Clesa Lepidus 44-36 BCE C Balbus L Porcius Colonia Victrix Ivlia Lepida Victory - Bull, holed RPI 262 plate 19 Comment: I personally think this coin was worn by an aged Legionary who was settled in this Colony. Proud of their past battles.
Nice one Bing. I'd gladly add that to my collection. Holes are not a problem, really - if nothing else, they tend to make things affordable. Here's my most recent holey-moley: Hadrian Æ As (125-128 A.D.) Rome Mint HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / SALVS AVG[VSTI] S-C, COS III below, Salus standing left holding patera, feeding serpent arising from altar. RIC II.3 828 (RIC 678); Cohen 1357; BMC 1349. (8.61 grams / 25 mm)
China ANCIENT Cowrie - Shang Dynasty (1600 BCE - 1046 BCE) BONE 2 holes for clothing or funeral bier 20mm Hartill 1-2v Coole 51-66 Ex: Scott Semans CoinCoin China Shang Dynasty 1766-1154 BCE or Zhou Dynasty Ghost Face Ant Nose AE 1.65g Hartill 1.4 Holed (filled with debris)
I tolerate holes but I like a hole with something inside. Titus and Domitian AE24 Stobi, Macedon, temple, holed with ancient wire loop Augustus denarius once nailed to something with an iron nail most of which has broken away. This item would be much better if the hammer had been struck one fewer blow or if the rest of the nail had survived. As is, it is what it is and I like it. This Antoninus Pius diobol of Alexandria was purchased near the end of the SteveX6 sell-off. I paid too much but not as much as Steve paid. Holes reduce the value of coins a lot but when the coin is uncommon with no faults we have to decide if we want the coin or not. This is only an R3 but show me one with a better bull. When I bought this Septimius Severus LEG XXII PRI in 1987, I was told that there were only six known. That was not true; I now have five but this was my first. The crack bothers me a lot more than the hole.
A holey Vespasian as somebody made a "hope" pendant out of: Vespasian Æ As (75 or 76A.D.) Rome Mint IMP CAES VESPAS AVG COS [VI or VII ?], laureate head right / S-C, Spes standing left holding flower and hem of skirt. Holed planchet. RIC 816 (VI) or 894 (VII)? ("CAES VESPAS" var. ?) (9.89 grams / 26 mm)
..o wow!...last nite i just purchased my 1st holed ancient too.......(i'll post it when i get it)...but i got plenty of jewerly in silver here....holes really don't bother me...kinda neat to think someone in the past wore it as a decoration
The only “holed” coin I own - except it is a “pocket” in that doesn’t go all the way through. Doesn’t bother me one bit.
Oh, well, if we're posting non-ancient holey coins, here are a couple of mine, both from the remnants of my old collection of British coins and medals, and both falling into the often-holed category of Victorian white metal souvenir medals. White metal is a base metal alloy of tin, zinc, and other ingredients; it became very popular in the Victorian era because white metal medals were (a) very shiny, and (b) very cheap. In fact, they're still very cheap; much less expensive than comparable medals in bronze, let alone silver. And it isn't hard to find examples that are still somewhat shiny after all these years -- without much, if anything, having been done to them -- if one tilts them at an angle. Although, as you can see from the first one, the high points tend to turn a dark gray over time; cleaning them really doesn't help. I'm including the full description of the first medal so people can see how ridiculously elaborate these things became in that era. Queen Victoria 1838 White Metal Coronation Medal by J. Davis, Birmingham. Obv. Head of Queen Victoria left, garlanded with roses, thistles, and shamrocks, hair held in chignon. On a raised band around, VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F: D: / Rev. On a raised dais, the Queen is seated on a throne being crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury. To the right she is proclaimed by the figures Britannia, Scotia and Hibernia. To the left she is attended by a blindfolded Justice and by Industry. A winged herald and cherub above, lion and cornucopia with other symbolic objects below. On a raised band around, H. M. G. MAJESTY VICTORIA above, BORN MAY 24TH 1819. ASCENDED THE BRITISH THRONE JUNE 20TH 1837 below. In exergue: CROWNED / JUNE 28TH 1838 (in an arc). Signed to the right: DAVIS, BIRM. BHM 1807 [Brown, Laurence, British Historical Medals Vol. II, 1837-1901 (Seaby 1987)]; Whittlestone & Ewing 98A [Whittlestone, Andrew & Michael Ewing, Royal Commemorative Medals 1837-1977, Vol. I: The Reign of Queen Victoria 1837-1901 (2008)]. 65 mm., 80.1 g. Viewed from directly above, you can see no shine at all: The second one (obverse only because I don't have a decent photo of the reverse) was issued -- along with hundreds of other medals -- in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. By F. Bowcher, manufactured by Messrs. Spink & Sons Ltd. BHM II 3529, Eimer 1820. White Metal, 38 mm., 17.2 g. I didn't sell these two medals when I sold most of the valuable British coins and medals I owned, because it wasn't worth the trouble -- I probably would have gotten $20-$30 for the two of them, if I were lucky.
I've got a Vespasian dupondius with two holes. 27 mm. 11.06 grams. Vespasian radiate head left. IMP CAES VESP AVG PM TRP COS V CENS FELICITAS PVBLICA Felicitas standing left holding winged cadeuceus and cornupocpia. Sear I 2634 (has a photo of COS IIII). RIC 716, struck 74.
This coin was affordable with the hole. It would probably be in the 4 figures without it. I bought it because it is so rare I might never see another one in trade again. Also was struck at Ephesus. Domitian RIC 1489 [VESPASIAN]
Excellent pickup, @Bing! I'd love to have that one in my collection. My holed Vespasian... neither the coin nor its hole are as nice as yours. VESPASIAN AR Denarius (Holed). 3.16g, 19.5mm. Rome mint, AD 75. RIC II 772. O: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right. R: PON MAX TR P COS VI, Pax seated left, holding branch extended in right hand, left hand in lap.